Battletech A Question Of Survival

A FUTURE FOR THE TAKING… As the last Bloodnamed Warrior left in the former Jade Falcon Occupation Zone, newly-elected Khan Jiyi Chistu has ’Mechs, but no MechWarriors—making it impossible to rebuild his Clan after the disaster on Terra. Meanwhile, despite being riven by the Dominion-wide vote on whether to join the new Star League or not, Star Colonel Emilio Hall’s Ghost Bears have a planet full of talented sibkos ready to graduate. When word of these sibkos reaches Khan Chistu, he hatches a bold plan to take them, eager to rebuild the Jade Falcons. But with Star Colonel Emilio caught up in the politics of the Ghost Bear vote, will he even see Jiyi coming? Or will he lose the sibkos that represent the very future of his Clan? For both men and the Clans they hold dear, these dilemmas become nothing less than a question of survival…

ALWAYS READ THE FINE PRINT Shrapnel: The Official BattleTech Magazine is your go-to source for brutal, heavy-metal BattleMech action across the battlefields of the 31st century and beyond—and now it’s bigger than ever before! This special double-size issue is jam-packed with the true currency of the Inner Sphere: mercenary troops! To reclaim a priceless personal memento, the Gray Death Legion must teach a young noble an invaluable lesson. The Northwind Highlanders, facing the loss of everything they hold dear, must defend their homeworld by forcing House Davion to pay in blood for every centimeter they gain. When the Crescent Hawks discover a lost family member might still be alive, they will stop at nothing to find her and bring her home. In this issue, you’ll search for the fabled city of gold in the former Rim Worlds Republic, witness the Kell Hounds interview a new recruit with an unusual connection to Morgan Kell himself, and learn the trials and tribulations of a novice mercenary on a long-haul space journey for the first time. Experience the true cost of losing a personal ’Mech in battle, evade competing mercenary units fighting over your secret cargo, and raid a lost vault for invaluable treasure on behalf of a prestigious collector. Whatever the job, there’s always soldiers of fortune ready to sign on the dotted line, and they can build their legend with content such as advice articles on how to run a mercenary unit and negotiate favorable contracts; Unit and Planet Digests for intel on the competition; technical readouts on unique ’Mechs; various downtime entertainment options; playable scenarios to test your tactical chops; and much more—all by veteran BattleTech authors and a new addition to the roster: Michael A. Stackpole Bryan Young Chris Purnell Jason Schmetzer Daniel Isberner Alan Brundage James Kirtley Robin Briseño James Bixby Giles Gammage Jason Hansa James Hauser Tom Leveen David Martin Lance Scarinci Jaymie Wagner Russell Zimmerman Alex Fauth Stephan Frabartolo Johannes Heidler Ken’ Horner Wunji Lau Lorcan Nagle Eric Salzman Zac Schwartz Ed Stephens Stephen Toropov

ENTER THE ARENA! Shrapnel: The Official BattleTech Magazine is your spotlight for tales of brutal, one-on-one BattleMech action in the no-holds-barred gladiatorial arenas of the 31st century and beyond! A patsy expected to take a fall must utilize every asset at his disposal to avoid becoming another Solaris tragedy when backroom intrigue spills into the arena. A law enforcement agent with ties to organized crime must fight an unsanctioned duel to help stage a daring rescue. Coming out of retirement, a washed-up has-been with an abysmal win-loss record seeks one last bout for a final chance at glory. In this issue, you’ll begin your journey on the Game World of Solaris VII, where two gladiators must take dangerous risks for a shot at revenge in the name of the Federated Suns. You’ll witness a debt-collection attempt gone wrong, where survival is more valuable than seizing a ’Mech as collateral. And you’ll blast your way into the first installment of the serial novel Violent Inception, by Russell Zimmerman. Whether you begin in unranked matches in the Reaches, or you’ve worked your way up to the famed Class Six arenas, Solaris is where legends are made and fortunes come to an abrupt end. And the best way to climb the ladder to become the Grand Champion is to arm yourself with advice on survival and ’Mech-scale melee weapons, Stable Digests, technical readouts, and more—all by defending-champion BattleTech authors and some new challengers in the arena: Russell Zimmerman Michael J. Ciaravella Tom Leveen Mark Hill Chris Hussey Devin Ramsey Craig A. Reed, Jr. Robin Briseño Matthew Cross Daniel Isberner Matt Larson Wunji Lau Lorcan Nagle Eric Salzman Zac Schwartz Stephen Toropov

PUSH YOUR LUCK! Shrapnel: The Official BattleTech Magazine gives you the weapons you need to triumph when battlefield tragedy strikes and the odds are stacked against you. Forge on through the unforgiving BattleMech warfare of the 31st century and beyond! Two brothers on opposite sides of an Inner Sphere-wide war run into each other at the flashpoint of a local struggle. A captured wet-navy vessel patrolling a critical river stands alone against the Draconis Combine’s oppressive occupation of Verthandi. A group of friends on a dying planet in the Davion Outback undertake a risky and dangerous mission to escape the system on the last departing DropShip, and a young mercenary on his first assignment must choose which inevitable losses will weigh less on his conscience. In this issue, you’ll charge headlong into danger in the cockpit of a fragile but fleet ’Mech that loves to run at full throttle. Then you’ll confront incredible four-against-one odds in a vicious gladiatorial event that will be talked about for decades to come. Wander into a vast megaforest where brutal Marian Hegemony troops could spring an ambush at any moment, then wade through a mist-filled city guarded a mysterious protector who will stop at nothing to defend their home. Burn some sage, grab your rabbit’s foot, and knock on wood as you march on through bad luck with a look at a cursed cooling suit, the logs of a JumpShip that misjumped on Friday the 13th, a guide to unique battlefield geography, a peek at the culture and Machiavellian politics of the Raven Alliance, a Unit Digest for the hard-luck mercenaries of Wilson’s Hussars, along with technical readouts, playable scenarios, RPG adventures, and more—all by BattleTech veterans and some newcomers: Bryan Young Russell Zimmerman David G. Martin Adam Neff Joseph A. Cosgrove Matthew Cross Giles Gammage Ben Klinefelter Westin Riverside Ken’ Horner Wunji Lau Josh Perian Eric Salzman Zac Schwartz Ed Stephens Stephen Toropov

WATCH YOUR SIX! Shrapnel: The Official BattleTech Magazine brings you more hard-hitting BattleMech action from the heavy-metal wars of the 31st century and beyond—but don’t let your guard down! A loyal Republic of the Sphere MechWarrior must make a life-or-death decision when catastrophic news from Terra throws everything into chaos. A sheriff on a Periphery backwater planet investigates mysterious murders terrorizing a community. A desperate survivor of the Clan Invasion seeks revenge against the Jade Falcons while he still has the chance… In this issue, you’ll travel to the Hanseatic League in the Deep Periphery, where the Scorpion Empire will stop at nothing to obtain a priceless Star League-era relic. Then witness the first Marauder built in the new millennium walk off the assembly line, face a so-called zombie ’Mech arisen from the grave, and discover how to effectively weaponize a BattleMech’s operating system. No matter the situation, you can stay out of harm’s way by reviewing a most-wanted list of criminals and assassins, a roster of the Marian Hegemony’s Legion of the Dead, technical readouts, unit and planet digests, playable scenarios, a campaign set in the resource-poor wilds of the Third Succession War, and more—all by battle-hardened BattleTech authors and some new boot-camp graduates: Bryan Young Chris Hussey Marc Follin Jaymie Wagner James Bixby J. D. Neal Jeremy A. Reynolds David Stier Geoff “Doc” Swift Étienne Charron-Willard James Kirtley Matt Larson Lorcan Nagle Eric Salzman Zac Schwartz Tom Stanley Stephen Toropov Chris Wheeler

RECRUITS WANTED! Shrapnel: The Official BattleTech Magazine transports you to the blistering, hard-hitting BattleMech conflicts that ravage the war-torn future of the 31st century and beyond! A young Jade Falcon cadet must prove her mettle in a Trial of Position against a cunning opponent if she is going to become part of her struggling Clan’s future. Elite aerospace pilots from the Outworlds Alliance and the Snow Ravens meet in a clash for the ages, and a veteran wielding only an implement of peace stands up to defend his home against unusual invaders. In this issue, you’ll sign up for a notorious mercenary unit and fight through your first day on the job. You’ll jockey to be first across the finish line in a hovertank race fraught with danger. You’ll chase the glory days of a once-noted BattleMech manufacturer in a quest to reinvigorate a declining enterprise and secure your birthright. Will you defeat your demons from the Battle of Tukayyid during battle with would-be conquerors? Will you escape from murderous cartel members, or succumb to the elements in the unrelenting, sun-beaten desert? Load your chamber with technical articles, a Northwind Highlanders unit digest, a MechWarrior’s catalog of cockpit must-haves, a snow-filled RPG adventure, a BattleForce scenario, and more—all by BattleTech veterans and new enlistees: Tom Leveen Bryan Young Russell Zimmerman D. G. P. Rector W. T. Brown James Hauser Chris G. Lane R. J. Thomas Phillip Johnston Alayna M. Weathers James Bixby Étienne Charron-Willard Matthew Cross Wunji Lau Eric Salzman Tom Stanley Stephen Toropov

SIGN ON THE DOTTED LINE… Shrapnel: The Official BattleTech Magazine puts your loyalty to the test amid unrelenting BattleMech combat that spans the war-torn battlefields of the 31st century and beyond! The head of a security team must seek unusual allies to keep the First Prince of the Federated Suns safe from assassination. An aging Elemental warrior imparts lasting lessons to a young cadet when pirates threaten everything he holds dear. A young IndustrialMech pilot must use the only weapon he knows in the face of rampaging occupiers. In this issue, you’ll visit the Unwearied Second’s 1,000th birthday celebration, a gala attended by the upper crust of Lyran society. Then roll up your sleeves and dive into testing a dangerous but poweful experimental weapon system. Stand firm with the Nova Cats, who try to hold back the inevitable tide of destiny, and travel to the Mercenary’s Star to navigate through scams and con artists in order to find the right outfit to call home. Sign your contract and seek victory, with the help of mercenary-advice articles, technical readouts, unit digests, an in-depth look at the true nature of the “Death to Mercenaries” edict, and more—all by BattleTech veterans and new recruits: Tom Leveen Geoff “Doc” Swift Charles Gideon Robert Schubert James Bixby Alan Brundage Kelvin Casing Jason DeSouza James Kirtley Craig A. Reed, Jr. Alayna M. Weathers Alex Fauth Jason Hansa Ken’ Horner Chris Hussey Daniel Isberner Ben Klinefelter Matt Larson Wunji Lau Lorcan Nagle Eric Salzman Stephen Toropov

FIGHT FOR SURVIVAL… Beset on all sides, Jiyi Chistu, Khan of Clan Jade Falcon, is struggling to keep his place in the crumbling Jade Falcon Occupation Zone. When Clan Hell’s Horses arrive on Sudeten to claim the planet, Jiyi is forced to defend it with everything he has in a battle that could mean the end of his people. But he cannot just hold his territory. Being cut off from the rest of the Inner Sphere is as much a death for his Clan as annihilation. To take the planets surrounding Sudeten and bring home the errant Jade Falcon warriors he so desperately needs, Jiyi dispatches a unit, including Alexis, a young, idealistic Falcon warrior, to bolster the Clan. Both Jiyi and Alexis will have to find new ways to adapt to their ever-changing reality, as Alexis learns what it means to be known as a Jade Falcon, and Jiyi is visited by an unexpected Falcon from the past…one who could spell doom for his entire Clan…